Praise Sigmar! Savior of Arda!
by Sealiman Dawntracker
Summary: Not an Age of Sigmar fic! A Warrior Priest of Sigmar and a Witch Hunter find their way to Rivendell, need I say more?
1. Chapter 1- A Peculiar Duo

**I know, I know. I shouldn't start another story while I still have so many others to update. But this one's been kicking around in my head for years, and I'll graduate from college in May so I should be able to update a lot more soon.**

Our story begins, as all good stories do, in Rivendell, Imladris in the Elven tongue. Where it is October the twenty-fourth, the year 3018 of the Third age, and two mysterious travelers from far away are about to "crash the party" as the Hobbits say…

"Black Fire Pass sure looks different, this time that is." Muttered a grey bearded man in a long overcoat, two pistols strapped to his sides, and the trademark Witch Hunter's hat adorning his brow. His companion nodded then said "As Sigmar defeated his foes we must be vigilant, for Chaos corrupts all… Did I ever tell you of the discrepancy I found in the third litany of the twenty fourth part of the _Deus Sigmar_?" He was dressed in a breastplate, long red robes, a circlet about his shaved head and he carried a massive Warhammer.

Coming around a bend the mounted pair happened to look up, and they saw it… Imladris, but unlike all of those native to the land they did not awe at it's magnificent grandeur. Instead, if it can be believed, they scowled.

"That certainly wasn't here before!" shouts the Witch Hunter angrily, the Warpriest of Sigmar squints, as though trying to see through dense fog… or illusion. Then he says "I see no obvious signs of Chaos, let us take a closer look." They spur their mounts on.

 _In Imladris_ … Lord Elrond Halfelven sits in his study, his daughter Arwen and foster son Aragorn sit beside Gandalf the Grey, Israi extraordinaire. Lord Elrond makes a motion to speak when there is a knock on the door of his study.

"Come in" says Elrond

"My lord" says the sentry, one of three at the main gate to Rivendell, once he enters the room. "There is a… um, pair of people at the gate. They demanded very rudely to see the master of the house, and they are dressed ever so oddly."

Elrond fluidly stood up, and followed by Gandalf, Arwen, and Aragorn, he makes his way through Rivendell's many corridors towards the gate, following the sentry, even though he knew the way.

Upon arriving at the main gate they immediately saw our friends, the Witch Hunter and the Warpriest, who were eying the structure as though it might reach out and swallow them up any second. A paranoid lot they were.

"Greetings travelers, and welcome to Rivendell." Said Elrond, with his daughter, Aragorn, and Gandalf watching from behind.

"Blasted Elves" muttered the Witch Hunter

"Sigmar give me strength." mutters the Warpriest

Elrond, and well, frankly, everyone but the pair was taken aback, is that the kind of courtesy afforded an Elven Lord?

Elrond tries not to grimace. "We were not expecting your arrival, though in these dark times, many a visitor is unexpected."

The Witch Hunter grimaces, as though being polite caused him pain "We were simply looking for directions, where in Black Fire Pass are we?"

Elrond raised an eyebrow, Black Fire Pass? He had never heard of such a place! "I'm sorry but I do not know of the place of which you speak, you are in the valley of Imladris, in the region of Middle-Earth called Eirador." He said

"Eirador? Middle-Earth? What is this nonsense?! I…" started the Witch Hunter, but was abruptly cut off by his friend, who raised a hand and said "Perhaps you are simply unfamiliar with our naming, if you could tell us what direction the Empire is then we can…"

"Empire? There is no Empire in Middle-Earth!" says Aragorn, who is shocked at the look he receives, one of utmost suspicion and disgust, as though he had thrown something particularly nasty on the Witch Hunter's boots; and a look of pity, as though he was some sort of simpleton, and as much suspicion as the other.

"If we could simply see a blasted map we can leave." says the Witch Hunter as though the idea appealed to him greatly.

Elrond pursed his lips, he would honestly like to be rid of these two rude men, and if this was the way then he would happily oblige.

Elrond nods to one of the sentries who pulls out a parchment map from a small alcove near the gate, then hands it over to the Witch Hunter.

To Elrond's utmost surprise the man's brow furrows, then he gives Elrond a look as though he is playing some sort of juvenile trick upon him.

"What's this?" says the Witch Hunter

"A map" says Arwen, the man looks at her darkly.

"I can see that; but this is not the Old World! Where is the Empire, Brettonia, the Border Princes! For Sigmar's sake, what are you trying to pull!" shouts the Witch Hunter.

"Who is Sigmar?" asks Gandalf.


	2. Chapter 2- Who's Sigmar? WHO'S SIGMAR?

"Who's Sigmar!? WHO'S SIGMAR!?" shouts the Warpriest barely restraining himself from leaping upon Gandalf an attempting to clobber him, for his companion certainly wouldn't restrain him. "Just what kind of backwater have we stumbled…" shouts the Warpriest.

Elrond, who has had quite enough by this point, cuts him off with "Enough! It is difficult for any man to try the nerves of one of the firstborn, but you have done so. I bid you depart immediately!"

As no one, on either side, looked ready to contradict him the pair turned to leave. Then the skies darkened to the black of midnight in a matter of seconds. A wind picked up and through the sky trailed a twin-tailed comet.

Elrond, who was himself shaken by the events, was not ready for the reactions of the newcomers… The Witch Hunter's face had paled till it was as white as snow, and his companion had gone slack- jawed before falling prostrate and muttering something indecipherable with incredible fervor.

The wind picked up more and a voice was heard, quite clearly shouting "It is by MY will you have been sent here! Destroy the ring and secure allies for the battles to come! I AM SIGMAR!"

Then as swiftly as it began the comet faded and the skies returned to their normal appearance, leaving all present shaken to their core.

"In the name of the Valar what just happened?!" says Arwen, gripping Aragorn's arm to the point that her fingers numbed. All eyes turned towards the newcomers, the Witch Hunter's face had regained some small amount of color; and the Warpriest had shakily risen from his prostrate position.

"Do either of you know what just happened?" asked Elrond, his voice returned to its normal impassive tone.

The Witch Hunter looked to his companion with a sideways glance, the Warpriest nodded back and said "Tis' a sign from Sigmar! Our lord and savior!"

Elrond and Gandalf raised an eyebrow in sync.

"Who is this Sigmar?" asked Gandalf, once again.

"Sigmar is the greatest of the Gods of the Empire, he was once a mortal, Sigmar Heldenhammer, of the Unberogen tribe. He ascended to godhood after many years of glorious rule as the First Emperor!" said the Warpriest.

"The only thing that I do not understand is the reference to a ring that must be destroyed." Says the Warpriest after a pause.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, understanding crossed Elrond's mind! And he said "This must mean that you are destined to join the fellowship we are preparing, on the trek to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring of power!"

Now it was the newcomers turn to raise an eyebrow in sync.

"Ring of power? What does that even mean?" says the Witch Hunter, noticeably politer than before.

"At the tail end of the Second Age" says Elrond "The Dark Lord Sauron created a ring, an artifact of supreme and terrible power. For he poured his cruelty, is malice, and his will to dominate all life into it. One ring to rule them all. One by one the free lands of Middle-Earth fell to the power of the ring, but there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Men, and Elves, marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth. The Dark Lord and his armies of Orcs extracted a grievous toll on our forces, but in the end Isildur, son of the High King Elendil, was able to cut the ring from the hand of Sauron. Expelling him from his body, but alas he had not the strength of will to destroy the ring, and it persisted to this day. We now have it and plan to call together a council of the Free Folk to destroy it."

"This ring must be an instrument of Chaos" says the Witch Hunter, looking to his comrade. "We must be in the team to destroy the damnable thing!" The Warpriest nods.

"If you are to sit on the council and join the Fellowship" interrupts Elrond "Then we shall need to know your names."

The duo look to one another and the Witch Hunter says, while reaching out to shake Elrond's hand "I am the Witch Hunter Bessimar von Desuch."

His companion straightens and says "And I am Urban van Graff, Warpriest of Sigmar!"

The tale of Middle-Earth has just grown far more complicated…


	3. Chapter 3: A Council is Called

The next few days were spent by Bessimar and Urban in the copious libraries of Rivendell, where they were brought up to speed on topography and the history of Middle-Earth. Bessimar also spent time reading as much as he could about Sauron and the Maiar, while Urban proselytized in Sigmar's name to anyone and everyone who would listen. Which actually included most of Rivendell, as they seemed to have a fascination with this land that was unknown to them.

Gandalf, Elrond, and Aragorn on the other hand spent much of the next few days preparing for the council, and trying to learn as much about the two men as they could. Gandalf received a rude surprise when he told Bessimar that in common Westron those of his order were called "Wizards" and the Witch Hunter almost jumped out of his boots, followed by a mad scramble for his weapon. If Urban had not been there to calm him down then things might have turned very ugly.

Aragorn and Elrond too had a rude surprise, when they found out what it was that a Witch Hunter does. Aragorn very nearly struck Bessimar as he recounted the villages he had to put to the torch and people he had to burn at the stake to keep the Empire safe from the ever-present threat of Chaos.

Though, at least for the inhabitants of Rivendell, the most troubling thing about the two men were their harrowing tales of the Great Enemy, Chaos. They began to whisper that if these men had somehow found their way here then was it possible that this Chaos could follow? Unbeknownst to them, the pair had conversations along a similar vein. Urban in particular lamented at the thought that it could be their intervention that led Chaos to a new world, with new victims. And Bessimar, well he thought that if Chaos followed then it might join with Sauron, and then… well, that would be bad.

Once all the delegates had arrived the council was called. Bessimar and Urban, much to their chagrin, sat beside Gandalf as he sat beside Frodo.

The council was merely formality till Frodo brought forth the Ring, to the pair it appeared to be a simple golden band, nothing special. But then, starting with Urban, they could hear the whispers in their mind. Offers of power beyond their wildest comprehension, if only they would submit. Bessimar, in his mind, told the ring to "Screw off!", while beside him Urban's reciting of the litanies of the _Deus Sigmar_ quieted the words in his mind.

Both were almost to the point of rushing and striking the Ring out of sheer annoyance, when a dwarf whose name had not been told to them said "Well what are we waiting for!?", and charged the ring himself, slamming his axe down upon it.

There was an almighty crack and the axe flew apart in many different shards, the Dwarf thrown on his back upon the ground, shocked.

"The ring" intoned Elrond "cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom, only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came… one of you must do this."

The entire council was silent, even the two newcomers… and they had faced terrors that would scare many of the council members to the point of wetting themselves.

The silence lasted till a brown-haired man said "One does not simply walk into Mordor, it's gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great eye is ever watchful." The man curled his fingers into an "O" shape when intoning the word "eye", then continued "Tis a barren wasteland, Riddled with ash, fire, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume, not with ten-thousand men could you do this, it is folly."

Then a golden-haired elf stood up and said "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said! The ring must be destroyed!"

Then the dwarf named Gimli retorted "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!"

Then the brown-haired man stood and heatedly said "And if we fail what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his!?"

Gimli finished the discussion by saying "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an Elf!"

The council devolved into a massive argument, the newcomers watched with thinly veiled contempt as the council members argued, until something miraculous happened…

"I will take it!" shouted a small voice above the din. A halfling strode forward and said "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way."

Gandalf stood and strode forward saying "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is your burden to bear."

Aragorn now stepped forward saying "If by my life or death I can protect you I will, you have my sword."

The Elf stepped forward and said "And you have my bow!"

Then Gimli stepped forward and said "And my axe!"

The brown-haired man stepped forward last and said "You carry the fate of us all little one, if this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Then out of the bushes rushed another halfling, who pledged himself to the cause, then two more appeared and did the same.

Finally, Elrond looked to the newcomers Bessimar and Urban stood and Urban said "By Sigmar's will we shall accompany you, may we serve you well."

"Eleven companions…" said Elrond, "So be it, you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

Then one of the halflings said "Great, where are we going?"

Urban facepalmed and Bessimar rolled his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4- The Fellowship sets out

The next few days were spent with everyone preparing for their journey, and getting to know each other. Boromir and Gimli thought the idea of these men coming from "another world" to be ludicrous, and eventually accepted only that these men came from far, far away.

On the day they were to set out everyone was at the gate, and the Witch Hunter and Sigmarite priest kept to their own company, until Lord Elrond approached them…

"Lord Elrond" said Urban, inclining his head ever so slightly.

Bessimar turned toward Elrond and inclined his head as well, grunting.

"I wish to speak with you both before I address the fellowship in its entirety." said Elrond

"Then speak" said Urban, a bit more at ease with Elves than Bessimar ever was, even before that incident in Marienburg…

"I wish to give you the blessing of Elf-friend, and a word to the wise. Gandalf has lived for over three-hundred lives of men, it would do the company well to heed his words." Said Elrond

Bessimar raised a finger to say something but Urban, the only other person here who truly had his respect, cut him off saying "Very well, we shall heed the words of the wizard."

Bessimar waited a moment before nodding slowly.

A small smile spread across Elrond's face and he turned to address the company as a whole.

"The ring-bearer is setting out on the quest for Mount Doom, on those who travel with him no oath or bond is laid to travel further than you will." said Elrond, then continued "Farewell, hold to your purpose, and let the blessings of Elves, Men, and all the Free Folk go with you."

As one the fellowship turned to face the road ahead, "The fellowship awaits the ring-bearer" says Gandalf.

Frodo looked to step forward then whispered "Mordor, Gandalf is it right or left?"

Bessimar barely held the urge to sigh in exasperation in check.

"Left" whispered Gandalf

And so they were off, our pair from the Old World made little conversation with the others till they stopped on the fifteenth day of their journey. Samwise and Frodo were cooking breakfast; Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gimli were talking; Boromir was failing to show Merry and Pippin how to use their swords, and Legolas was looking afar from his perch.

Urban had the ever so small smile as he watched Merry and Pippin tackle Boromir to the ground, it was truly funny, though he enjoyed humor less than most.

Bessimar was sitting on a rock not far from Gandalf, as old habits die hard, and he wanted to watch the wizard, and was oiling his flintlocks.

"If anyone were to ask for my opinion" Gimli says, "Which I note they're not, I would say that we're taking the long way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria, my cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

Gandalf puffed on his pipe and said "No, Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."

Finally, Bessimar decided to speak "Why is that?", without even looking up from his work.

Gandalf, who knew plainly of Bessimar's distaste for him, said "There is a darkness in those mines, my friend, one that I am not sure even you and your companion could face."

Bessimar opened his mouth to argue but found himself strangely conceding to Gandalf's point, and closed his mouth again.

Legolas, meanwhile seemed to be focusing on a specific cloud in the distance ,Sam did the honors of voicing his thoughts, and said "What's that?"

Gimli dismissed it with a wave, saying "Nothing, just a wisp of cloud."

Then Boromir stood up saying "Its moving fast, against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas cries

"Hide!" shouts Aragorn

They all run for the scrub as Sam puts out the cooking fire, within moments of reaching cover a mass of black birds fly over their position, "This is just like those bat's in Sylvania all over again!" mutters Bessimar and Urban can't help but agree.

The birds quickly fly off, and Urban can't shake the feeling that they found what they were looking for.

"Spies of Saruman! The pass to the south is being watched, we must take the path of Caradharas!"  
shouts Gandalf


	5. Chapter 5- Into the Mines!

"Cursed Mountain…Cursed Wizard… Cursed Ring…" mumbles Bessimar as he trudges through knee deep snow on the slopes of Caradharas.

Urban is mumbling prayers to Sigmar to spare a loyal servant from the cold, "As I am the steel, Sigmar is the Hammer, place me within your forge oh Mighty One." His metal armor isn't really the best defense against the cold; against Chaos Marauders & Daemons, yes; against snow… no.

The company trudges up the slopes of the mountain, as they have been for the better part of two days now. Nothing of note happens till' Frodo falls backward, tumbling through the snow until Bessimar reaches out and grabs him by his cloak.

Bessimar rights Frodo and says tersely "Still' have it lad?"

Frodo grasps at his neck for the ring, and upon finding it missing, panics.

Bessimar and Urban panic as well.

Then they all see the ring, on its chain, sitting in the snow as Boromir picks it up. The entire fellowship seemingly stalls as everyone watches Boromir.

""It I such a strange fate that we should suffer such fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing." He says, looking as though entranced by the Ring.

"Boromir!" Aragorn's voice calls out

Boromir snaps out of his trance and looks to Aragorn, then back to Bessimar who has drawn a full six-inches of steel from his scabbard.

"Give the ring to Frodo." says Aragorn, slowly

Boromir steps forward slowly and says "As you wish"

Frodo snatches the ring back and Boromir finishes by tousling Frodo's hair and saying "I care not"

Aragorn removes his hand from the hilt of his sword, while Bessimar slides his blade back in with a "shnick!" sound, marking Boromir as one to watch… closely.

They continue up the mountain

Later that day a wind has picked up, blowing a blizzard around the company. Legolas is seemingly oblivious to the snow and walks on top of the drifts as though he was no more than feather-weight.

"Blasted-point ears." mutters Bessimar

Legolas looks back towards the struggling Witch Hunter with an expression of thinly veiled distaste, then he starts. "There is a fell voice on the air!" he says

The company stop their struggling and listen closely, the sound of faint chanting, from a voice resonating with power, comes to their ears.

"It's Saruman!" shouts Gandalf

A massive sheet of snow is suddenly seen plummeting towards them, they all throw themselves against the cliff face.

Moments after the sheet passes them Aragorn shouts "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!"

Gandalf shouts "No!" in reply

Gandalf brandishes his staff, and Bessimar's hand instinctively flies to the grip of his pistol, luckily none notice.

Standing with his staff out Gandalf begins a chant of his own, Urban heard behind him chanting litanies of undoing from the _Deus Sigmar_.

Suddenly at the crescendo of Saruman's chant, a bolt of lightning streaks from the heavens and plows headlong into the tip of the mountain, tumbling tons of ice, snow, and stone down towards the hapless company.

Gandalf throws himself backward at the last moment and the fellowship is buried.

Nothing stirs for several moments before the company begins to free themselves from their snowy prisons, Gandalf is the first followed by Aragorn, Bessimar, and Boromir. The last to appear is Gimli, shortly proceeded by Urban.

Boromir shouts "We must get off the mountain, make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" refutes Aragorn

"If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it." Interrupts Gimli "Let us go through the mines of Moria."

Suddenly an inexplicable chill falls upon them at the name of that ancient and forgotten place, a chill not at all related to their surroundings.

"Let the Ring Bearer decide" intones Gandalf, in a sad, ominous voice.

Frodo looks at Aragorn, then to Sam, and says "We will go through the Mines"

"So be it…" intones Gandalf in a tired and sorrowful voice.

Three days hard march later the company round a crook of the mountain and Gimli gasps "The Walls, of Moria!"

Bessimar looks up he and Urban straining hard to see what they can, for in the Chronicles of Sigmar the Dwarves play a crucial role in his ascension to Emperor, so they are held in religious reverence by Sigmarites.

Besides, they had never seen a Karak before…

The company takes roughly an hour to make its way around the great pool of the West-gate, and then suddenly they are before two gnarled trees, flanking a carven stone arch that no doubt is the door to Moria.

"Now, let's see…Ithildin" says Gandalf, brushing his hand across the rock as though feeling invisible ancient carvings.

"It mirror's only in starlight, and moonlight…" Gandalf sweeps his hand back and a cloud passes from across the moon, illuminating the arch. Suddenly the arch begins to glow as ancient elven glyphs reveal themselves and create a breathtaking doorway, still sealed.

A moment passed, then Bessimar said "Well, how do we open it? We don't have forever to gawk."

Urban hummed in agreement.

Gandalf raised his staff and pointed out elvish words as he read them aloud, "The Door's of Durin- Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter"

"What do you suppose that means?" asks Pippin

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend you speak the password, and the doors will open." said Gandalf with a self-assured smile.

Gandalf then placed his staff upon the door and spoke an unknown word in a commanding voice… nothing happened, Gandalf tried again… again, nothing.

Gandalf put his staff back upon the ground and looked extremely puzzled, "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs…"

"Uh-huh" said Bessimar dryly "Yep, we're stuck." And turned away to sit upon the ground

The next hour passed slowly as Gandalf tried strings of words every few minutes, most of the fellowship sat around and talked, Urban read from his large copy of the _Deus Sigmar_ , and Bessimar walked around impatiently.

Merry and Pippin were skipping stones into the great-pool of the West Gate, until suddenly as Pippin goes to toss another stone, Aragorn grabs his arm and says commandingly "Do not disturb the water"

Bessimar, who is nearby, walks over and says "Why?"

Aragorn looks at Bessimar, still not liking the Witch Hunter, and says slowly "There are things that are at rest in the world, things of which it is better that they stay that way."

Bessimar eyes the pool, dark and still, and fingers his pistol.

Suddenly, across the camp, Frodo stands up and says, "It's a riddle, 'Speak Friend and Enter', Gandalf what's the Elvish word for Friend"

Gandalf is about to answer when Urban looks up from his book and says "Mellon…" and before he even finishes the word the doors rumble and begin to open.

Bessimar walks over and claps Urban on the shoulder, nodding, then lights a torch and walks in with several others.

"Soon master elf, you will enjoy the famed hospitality of the dwarves, Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This is the home, my friends, of my cousin Balin." Says the happy Dwarf, the says with a laugh "And they call it a mine! A mine!"

Boromir looks around and says ,"This is no mine… it's a tomb."

The fellowship look to their feet and see dozens of dwarf bodies, long decayed.

Gimli walks over to one corpse and wails, while Legolas pulls out an arrow from a corpse and shouts "Goblins!"

Legolas pulls out his bow, Aragorn, Boromir, and Bessimar their swords, and Urban pulls out his massive Warahammer.

"We make for the gap of Rohan" says Boromir slowly, "We should never have come here!"

There is a slithering sound and moments later Sam yells "Strider!"

They all turn around; A long black tentacle has slithered out of the pool and is trying to drag Frodo to his doom.

What was left to sleep has awoken.

With a roar of "For Sigmar!" Urban rushes forward and slams the spike-studded flat of his hammer into the tentacle, pulping it.

It slithers into the pool and all is still for a moment, then five tentacles whip out of the lake, grabbing Frodo and hoisting him into the air. The fellowship desperately hacking at the tentacles while the full mass of the _Thing_ shows itself, mouth agape to eat the unfortunate Hobbit.

Boromir manages to cut off the tentacle holding Frodo and he drops unceremoniously into Aragorn's arms.

"Into the mines!" cries Gandalf

As they all make their way into the mine's first room, Boromir shouts "Legolas!" who puts an arrow in the monster's eye, it drags itself ashore and collapses the entrance, trying to bury the company for all time…

All is still as the rockfall created by the destruction of the West-Gate subsides, then in the blackness Gandalf's voice is heard along with a thump and a bit of light "We now have but one choice…", another thump and a crystal in Gandalf's staff shines with a moon-like glow "We must face the long dark of Moria, be on your guard, there are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world."

Everyone looks to one another, checking that all were present, and then they shuffle forward into that ancient and forgotten place beneath the Misty Mountains…


	6. Chapter 6- Goblins and Sigmar

The company begins their trek through Moria, soon they are passing the great mine-workings of wheels and hammers, then as they are passing across a thin ledge next to a seemingly bottomless abyss, Urban trips.

He nearly falls headlong into the chasm, but luckily Gimli shifts his weight and grabs the Sigmarite by his robes, pulling him back towards safety. Bessimar, for the first time since entering this world, shows care or, more accurately, worry, in his eyes. For Urban is the best friend the Witch Hunter had, one of only a handful of men whom he trusted (Grand Theoginist Volkmar, Emperor Karl Franz, a few other Witch Hunters, and Sigmar himself.)

"You alright?" Bessimar asked

"Fine" said Urban, trying to get the image of the dizzying depths out of his mind, then he turned to Gimli and said, "I am in your debt Master Dwarf, as Sigmar swore friendship eternal to the Dwarf King Kurgan, I swear eternal friendship to you."

Gimli looks surprised, "Well, um, thank you" he says

Soon the passage opens up into a wider hallway, and then a tall staircase, which the fellowship climbs in silence, Pippin slides down a few steps at one point, and Merry chides him for it.

Close to Gandalf, Bessimar takes the endless stairs in stride, then Gandalf stops. He looks at three passages and, after an ominous moments pause, says "I have no memory of this palace…"

So, the fellowship stalls again, Boromir and Gimli sit alongside Urban and Bessimar while Legolas keeps watch, Aragorn sits by the hobbits minus Frodo, who sits with Gandalf.

Soon after everyone has sat down Gimli asks "Master Urban, you spoke of a Dwarf King Kurgan, I've never heard of such a figure! Who was he?"

Urban smiles, as he loves to talk of the _Legend of Sigmar_ , and says "King Kurgan Ironbeard was High King of the Dwarves in the time of Sigmar…"

"Who?" asked Boromir

Something snaps behind them and the three turn round to see that Bessimar has broken a stick he was cleaning his pistol with, "Don't mind me" he grumbles.

The three turn back around slowly, and Bessimar continues "Sigmar is the patron God of the Empire, he was once a mortal, born under the auspicious sign of a twin-tailed comet. He fought many battles, including one in which he freed the-then High King of the Dwarves, Kurgan Ironbeard, from the clutches of the Orcs, It was then that King Kurgan gifted to Sigmar the Ghal Maraz, the mystical Dwarven Hammer that is wielded to this day by the Emperor.

It was upon the occasion of this gifting that Sigmar swore an everlasting friendship between himself, his people, and the Dwarven race. This relationship was sealed years later at the Battle for Black Fire Pass, where the Dwarves and Men under Sigmar's confederation destroyed a massive Orc horde that threatened both peoples. Soon after the Empire was formed of the twelve tribes united by Sigmar.

After that he went on for many years as the glorious First Emperor, until he went to the East and ascended to Godhood, as told by the prophet, and first Grand Theoginist, Joseph Helstrum."

"Patron God you say?" says Boromir

"Yes" replies Urban "Every village has at least a small shrine, if not a whole chapel devoted to Sigmar, for His grace shall not be upon those whom do not respect Him. The Grand Temple of Sigmar in Altdorf is a wonder of our age, one of the largest buildings besides the Imperial Palace, and some of the Colleges of Magic…"

The three hear Bessimar spit behind them, Urban continues "My lord, and Bessimar's as well, is our Grand Theoginist, Volkmar the Grim. Stunningly spry for his age, always on the lookout for a way to defeat Chaos for all time."

Apparently, Legolas had been listening in on the conversation for some time, for he now asks "Chaos? What is Chaos? Also, why do you dislike Gandalf, Bessimar?"

Bessimar decided to give answer this time and give Urban a respite, and said "Chaos is the opposite of creation, it is indescribable and evil. Chaos is what the Empire has stood against for more than twenty-five hundred years. It's insidious, it offers you power, then it eats your soul piece by piece, until you become totally corrupted and a slave to its will. I believe that all the 'Wizards' of the Empire are Chaos slaves and should be put to the pyre."

"Even if you believe your wizards are corrupted, you cannot believe Mithrandir is such." says Legolas "He is an Israi…"

"So was Saruman…" replies Bessimar with a grunt

Legolas presses further, "Saruman was always searching for the ring, if it was placed within his grasp he would always have pounced. Gandalf is different, he has had the ring within his grasp for all this time and has not taken it. He recognizes that it is an insidious draw, like your Chaos, and that any good deeds attempted with it will be folly and ruin."

"That only means he is wise, not uncorrupted." Says Bessimar

Suddenly Gandalf interrupts and the company hear "Oh!" as Gandalf says, "It's that way!"

The fellowship descends the stairs until they find a chamber whose ceiling and walls are lost to the gloom, and Gandalf says, "Let me risk a little more light…", and as Gandalf illuminates the hall they all gasp.

"Behold the great realm and Dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf…" says Gandalf

"Now, there's an eye opener no mistake." says Sam

For an hour they trudge through the hall, until Gimli makes a startled noise and runs toward a small lit entrance to another room.

Gandalf shouts, "Gimli!" and leads the charge after him.

They all enter the room into which Gimli went and find him weeping before a great stone sarcophagus, Bessimar begins to say, "It'll be hard for Urban to keep his oath debt if you keep running off to unknown places in this Gods-forsaken labyrinth!"

But Urban stops him after the first syllable, giving Bessimar a harsh, piercing look and muttering "If only I was a priest of Morr…"

Gandalf walks to the side of the sarcophagus and reads the inscription on the surface "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria… He is dead then." Gandalf shakes his head solemnly, "It is as I feared."

Then Gandalf looks over the skeleton of a dead Dwarf and hand's his staff and hat to Pippin, before taking a book from the arms of the dead Dwarf.

Gandalf begins to read, in a tone that seems to make the shadows dance and close in, like grasping fingers ready to snuff out the light, "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long, the ground shakes. Drums… Drums in the deep. We cannot get out… They are coming"

It is at that moment, with everyone hanging on Gandalf's words, that Pippin twists an arrow in the corpse of a fallen Dwarf, and sends the plate-clad dwarf, a heavy iron chain, and a large oaken bucket down a well.

It as if all the noise they hadn't made was sounded, Pippins face after the final crash was almost comical.

"Fool of a Took!" says Gandalf, as Bessimar debates seriously whether or not to shoot the Halfling, Gandalf continues "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Suddenly, out of the deeps beyond the well, drums sound…

Everyone freezes as the drums grow louder and louder, then with more sense than most of the rest of the company, Boromir and Bessimar run to bar the door, Boromir almost gets two arrows to the face. As he closes the door, he says in exasperation "They have a Cave Troll."

Aragorn tosses them axes and other weapons to bar the door with, then they retreat to form a shield-wall. Bessimar takes out his sword and cocks a pistol, Urban pulls out his two-handed Warhammer and begins to chant words from the _Deus Sigmar_ long since memorized, Boromir readies his sword and shield, Aragorn his shortbow, Gandalf whips out Glamdring, the hobbits pull out blades, Gimli readies his axe, and Legolas aims his bow.

At the first large crack through the door Aragorn shoots an arrow through the gap, resulting in a pained squeal, Legolas follows suit, then the door caves in…

With a massive noise armor-clad Goblins pour into the room, with a series of shouts, the company responds.

Urban sweeps several aside with a blow from his hammer, crushing in their armor and breaking their bones. Bessimar cleaves through two with the superior strength of his Nuln-forged steel blade, then fires one pistol, the bullet going through one goblin's head and deep into another.

A loud grunt-slash-roar is heard from just outside the doorway and Merry looks up as a Cave Troll bursts into the chamber. Bessimar rushes forth and fires his other pistol while yelling "Die Chaos Ogre!", resulting in smoke and a bloody hole in the Ogre's shoulder.

The Ogre then bats Bessimar into a wall, while Urban slams his hammer into the Trolls' leg with little effect. Quickly the Troll's tiny brain senses the ring and he chases Frodo, before Aragorn jumps in and stabs the Troll with a recovered Dwarven spear. Before being hit with the spear shaft and falling to the side as the Troll stabs Frodo with the point.

Seeing Frodo stabbed, Merry and Pippin launch themselves at the troll, leaping off a ledge and digging their small blades into its back.

Finally, with the troll distracted, Urban rushes forth and shouts "FOR SIGMAR!" before smashing the troll's throat in.

As the Troll collapses and the Hobbits throw themselves clear the company is already converging on Frodo, Aragorn turns him over, saying "Oh, no."

Then Frodo gives a loud gasp and sits up, panting. After that he says, "I'm alright, I'm not hurt."

Bessimar looks the Hobbit over and says "How were you able to withstand that blow, would have felled a Chaos Warrior!"

Gandalf walks closer and says, "I think there is more to this Hobbit than meets the eye." as Frodo pulls aside his shirt to show a glittering Corset of Mithril mail.

"You are full of surprises Master Baggins" says Gimli

Then with the sound of Goblin reinforcements coming up the passage, Gandalf says "To the Bridge of Khazad-dum."

And with that the company run out of the chamber and into the Dwarrowdelf, again…


	7. Chapter 7- Shadow and Flame

Sprinting back into the Dwarrowdelf, the company tries to outrun the Goblin horde surging behind and above them. They barely make it a hundred yards before they are surrounded by a sea of hateful yellow eyes.

Everyone brandishes a weapon to try and keep the Goblins away, but it seems that now the fellowship, and the hope of the Free Peoples, will perish in the long dark of Moria. Then, suddenly…

An earsplitting, rumbling, volcanic roar is heard, as an unwholesome light shines from several corridors down.

The Goblins chitter and panic, fleeing up pillars and walls. Gimli laughs as though it was he that they were afraid of.

Legolas and Bessimar are pointing ranged weapons towards the glow, but they slowly lower them as the enormity of the foe they now face overtakes them, and Boromir asks, "What is this new devilry?"

Gandalf is silent, then slowly speaks "A Balrog… a Demon of the ancient world."

Urban's grip on his Warhammer is so tight that his knuckles have gone white, like Legolas's face, as though the creatures name has spawned nightmares.

"This foe is beyond any of you…" says Gandalf slowly before yelling "Run!"

As one the company turns and darts to a near passageway, once within they hurry down a short set of stairs and almost everyone nearly plummets into the fiery abyss below. As Aragorn and Bessimar enter in in front of Gandalf, they look back. Gandalf shoves them forward saying, "Swords are of no more use here!"

Quickly the fellowship makes their way down an enormous rail-less staircase, until they find a massive gap, where, long ago, part of the stairs fell away.

Legolas crosses first, gracefully leaping onto the other side. Followed by Gandalf, and Urban, Boromir and Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Gimli. All the while being shot at, and returning fire to, Goblins on a high ledge.

Finally, only Aragorn, Bessimar, and Frodo are left, when suddenly the side of the gap nearest to the others crumbles, then a massive piece of masonry demolishes the way back, and slowly the staircase begins to rock, as the foundation breaks apart.

Aragorn and Bessimar try to guide the rock the best they can, and it crashes into the far edge, the three sprinting to safety.

The fellowship find themselves in the massive chamber at the end of the stairs containing the Bridge of Khazad-dum. As the fellowship race towards the bridge the Daemon appears, shrieking hellfire at Gandalf, and the force of its roar sending Bessimar tumbling.

Bessimar rises till he is on all-four when a quick, and surprisingly strong, pair of wizened hands grab him as Gandalf pulls him to his feet. Urban is waiting at the bridge and the trio cross in all haste.

Urban and Gandalf stop in the middle, just enough room to fit the both of them.

"You cannot pass!" shouts Gandalf

"The power of Sigmar repels you!" shouts Urban

The other members of the company are struck dumb as the Balrog pulls itself to his full height, igniting in Daemonfire.

"I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Arnor" says Gandalf, while Urban drops to his knees in prayer, Gandalf continues "Your dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!"

The balrog smashes a sword of flame upon Gandalf's shielding spell, momentarily throwing the wizard back, even as the attack is repelled.

Urban's prayer increases in volume and a bright golden light shines impossibly from the solid stone celling, enveloping Urban; the Balrog takes a step back. The Golden light fades from view save in Urban's hammer. Then the Balrog swipes at Urban, who smashes his glowing hammer into the Daemons arm, causing an earsplitting shriek of pain.

Then the Balrog swipes at urban with its free hand, and hurls him into the wall next to Bessimar with a thud and a gasp as the wind is knocked from Urban's lungs.

As Urban forces himself to his feet and the rest of the company look on Gandalf shouts, "Go back to the shadow.", then bringing sword and staff together, shouts "YOU! SHALL NOT! PASS!" and slams his staff into the bridge…nothing obvious happens.

The Balrog begins running at Gandalf, but the bridge buckles and falls beneath it, sending the Daemon roaring into the darkness. The Balrog seems defeated, then a lash of flame grabs Gandalf's leg and nearly pulls him in to the chasm as well.

As the company looks helplessly on Gandalf claws his way back and, looking directly at the horrified face of Frodo, says "Fly you fools!"

Then Gandalf plummets into the dark.

"NO" shouts Frodo, who has to be carried away by Boromir, Bessimar pulling Aragorn away as the ranger was stupefied. Goblin arrows striking the masonry all around them.

The company makes it out of the East-Gate of Moria, and then fully half of them fall down and weep.

Urban looks back to the Black Pit, and makes a small sign of the hammer, while saying lightly "May you find peace in Sigmar's paradise…friend."

Bessimar, who is sitting next to Merry and Pippin tries, for once in his life, to comfort those around him, he really doesn't succeed, but gives it a good try, saying, "There is no escape from Chaos…it marks us all."

The silence of mourning lasts for a long moment, then the importance of the quest reasserts itself.

"Legolas, get them up." says Aragorn, cleaning his sword off of Goblin blood

Boromir turns then and shouts, "Oh, give them a moment, for pity's sake!"

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs, we must reach the realm of Lothlorien." says Aragorn, refuting Boromir.

"Frodo, FRODO!" shouts Aragorn, as the Hobbit is nowhere to be seen.

Then Aragorn and the rest see Frodo a short distance away, turning towards them with a look of absolute sorrow.

The company staggers to its feet, and follows the Silverlode down towards the treeline…


	8. Chapter 8: Lothlorien

**I have redone the end of the last chapter, as I have grown unhappy with it. Thank you all for your wonderful support!**

The forest of Lorien loomed large as the company closed in on it, it was then that Gimli began his monologue about the Elven "Sorceress" that ruled the forest. Bessimar, whose face was now set again in a grim frown, made quite a show of half-cocking his pistols, ready for any magical goings-on. Urban simply hefted his blood-caked hammer over his shoulder and carried on.

As the edge of the forest faded out of sight, Aragorn found his way to Bessimar's side, "Your strange devices easily felled many goblins, I was wondering what they are? I have seen you fiddling with them many times on our journey."

Bessimar still didn't necessarily like the taciturn ranger-king, but had grown to respect him after seeing him fight, he took on an Ogre for Sigmar's sake! So, this time, he decided to answer, "They're called pistols. Dwarves invented them, they shoot small lead balls", Bessimar reached into his pocket and pulled out several small spherical pieces of lead, showing Aragorn then putting them back, "A charge of blackpowder is ignited by this flint-and-steel mechanism", a small click is heard, "Ignites the powder and propels the shot out of the barrel."

Throughout the explanation Aragorn kept nodding, showing that he understood what Bessimar said, after Bessimar finishes Aragorn says, "The dwarves of your land seem to have a few more tricks than those of Erebor."

If Gimli hears this he doesn't react, Bessimar for one merely shrugs and they continue on.

 _An hour later_ _…_ Gimli was still going on with his "Elven sorceress rant" while the others, specifically Legolas, have long tuned him out. His only audience was the Hobbits, and strangely, Bessimar. Who wanted to know everything he could about this foe.

Urban, who was walking next to Frodo, suddenly had the niggling feeling of someone, or something, trying to enter his mind. He quickly called upon his faith and the feeling stopped.

Urban looks down to Frodo, only for Frodo to jolt, as if someone had snuck up on him and began to speak. Urban quickly thought back to the feeling he had just experienced, and readied himself to ask Frodo a question.

Bessimar heard Gimli say, "The eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox. Oh!" as he nearly ran, point-blank, into an arrowhead.

Elven archers had seemingly appeared out of thin air, Bessimar and Legolas training weapons on them but knowing that it was futile. Bessimar sighs as a memory of an encounter in the Laurelorn forest seems to replay itself.

What appears to be the leader of the archers walks forward, rather arrogantly I might add, he says, "The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark."

Gimli growls as Aragorn and Legolas walk forward to speak with the lead Elf. They quickly begin to converse in Elvish until Gimli, already quite angry, says, "So much for the legendary curtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can all understand!"

"We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days" says the lead Elf in a cool, haughty voice.

"And you know what this Dwarf has to say to that?! Ishkhagwi ai durugnul!" spits Gimli.

Bessimar and Urban, who both speak Elvish and Dwarvish, unbeknownst to the others, both hear Gimli's expletive. Bessimar smiles and Urban rolls his eyes.

Aragorn grips Gimli's shoulder and whispers, "That was not so courteous."

"You bring great evil" says the lead elf, seemingly having made up his mind with Gimli's outburst, "You can go no further."

Aragorn returns to trying to reason with the Elf as the rest of the company look on.

At last, after several minutes, the lead Elf looks them over one final time, then grumbles, "You will follow me."

Several more hours of walking ensue, eventually leading to a tree, which Bessimar had to admit, was awe inspiring. If from its girth alone.

A spiral staircase led up the tree, the company took several minutes to walk up its winding steps until they entered what could be loosely called a 'throne-room'.

Bessimar and Urban didn't have to wait long, for as soon as the company had gotten to the center of the room, two figures of shining light appeared and descended towards the company.

The pair look over the company slowly, their gaze stopping on the Witch Hunter and Warpriest before resuming their survey of the group.

With the female Elf's eyes glued to Frodo, the male elf spoke, "The Enemy knows you have entered here, what hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Ten there are here yet, yet eleven there were, set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him, I can no longer see him from afar."

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land, he has fallen…into shadow." The female Elf intones quietly.

Legolas interrupts by saying, "He was taken by both Shadow and Flame, a Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life, we do not yet know his whole purpose" continues the female Elf, "For the world has grown full of peril, and in all lands love is now mingled with grief."

"What now becomes of this Fellowship, without Gandalf, hope is lost." The female Elf continues.

"Sigmar walks with us, we shall not fail." Replies Urban in a very self-assured voice.

The quest stands upon the edge of a knife, stray but a little and it will fall, to the ruin of all." the woman continues, seemingly not hearing Urban's interjection, "Yet hope remains, while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled, go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace."

After that the company was guided from the throne-room and back down the tree before being given a large glade in which to make camp and rest.

Bessimar, once again, began to clean his pistols. While Urban began to wash the gore from his hammer. Both not knowing what would soon transpire.


End file.
